Is there any way to tell if a scorpion is elderly or not?

[Moakmeister]

I have an H. arizonensis, Carbide, who is most likely wild-caught. I didn’t think to ask, and almost all adults of his species are wild-caught because they’re hard to raise in captivity. He’s already an adult. I’m wondering if there’s any way to figure out if he’s an old man or not. At first I assumed he was young because his stinger is nice and sharp, not dull like it would be if he was old. But the other day he tried climbing the wall, and I was able to see his pectines for the first time. He seems to have some damage to them. I don’t know if that was caused by fighting or just normal wear and tear, but it suggests he’s been an adult for at least a while, right?

H. arizonensis - sex?

• Moakmeister
• Jul 7, 2022

 

[Poonjab]

Put a toothpick in its enclosure. If it uses it as a cane, and telling you the same story over and over, you know it’s an ol’timer

 

[darkness975]

I have an H. arizonensis, Carbide, who is most likely wild-caught. I didn’t think to ask, and almost all adults of his species are wild-caught because they’re hard to raise in captivity. He’s already an adult. I’m wondering if there’s any way to figure out if he’s an old man or not. At first I assumed he was young because his stinger is nice and sharp, not dull like it would be if he was old. But the other day he tried climbing the wall, and I was able to see his pectines for the first time. He seems to have some damage to them. I don’t know if that was caused by fighting or just normal wear and tear, but it suggests he’s been an adult for at least a while, right?

H. arizonensis - sex?

• Moakmeister
• Jul 7, 2022

Longevity

I am comparing the movements of one of my newest scorpions to another of the same species that I've had for several years. The older of the two was purchased in 2015 and is a WC adult. She's still going, but clearly much slower than when she was "younger." The new one (have not had a chance...

arachnoboards.com

 

[Moakmeister]

Longevity

I am comparing the movements of one of my newest scorpions to another of the same species that I've had for several years. The older of the two was purchased in 2015 and is a WC adult. She's still going, but clearly much slower than when she was "younger." The new one (have not had a chance...

arachnoboards.com

Carbide seems to “sleep” a lot. He’ll just kinda sprawl out and go limp, it freaks me out every time and he hasn’t dug any tunnels. He seems perfectly content just hiding under a rock/cork bark. Maybe he is old after all. Do your two scorpions look any different from each other?

 

[darkness975]

Carbide seems to “sleep” a lot. He’ll just kinda sprawl out and go limp, it freaks me out every time and he hasn’t dug any tunnels. He seems perfectly content just hiding under a rock/cork bark. Maybe he is old after all. Do your two scorpions look any different from each other?

All of my hadrurus look somewhat different than each other. The old one mentioned in that thread is a pallidus and she looks significantly less vibrant than she used to be.

Here is how she looked years ago vs today. That's in addition to the behavioral changes I noted in that thread. She doesn't dig anymore she just sits in a scrape under a piece of cork bark.

 

[Moakmeister]

All of my hadrurus look somewhat different than each other. The old one mentioned in that thread is a pallidus and she looks significantly less vibrant than she used to be.

Here is how she looked years ago vs today. That's in addition to the behavioral changes I noted in that thread. She doesn't dig anymore she just sits in a scrape under a piece of cork bark.

View attachment 423662 View attachment 423663

I honestly can’t tell which picture is which. Has her stinger become a bit dull with time?

 

[darkness975]

I honestly can’t tell which picture is which. Has her stinger become a bit dull with time?

her back plates and overall sheen have dulled over time. Combined with how slow she's become (essentially as inactive as most Tarantulas) the aging is very apparent.

 

[Moakmeister]

her back plates and overall sheen have dulled over time. Combined with how slow she's become (essentially as inactive as most Tarantulas) the aging is very apparent.

No I meant, is the stinger still sharp?
Also, I’ve just thought of something else. How brightly does she glow under a blacklight? Carbide’s glow is barely visible unless the room is totally dark, but my scorplings glow very brightly regardless of the lighting.

 

[darkness975]

No I meant, is the stinger still sharp?
Also, I’ve just thought of something else. How brightly does she glow under a blacklight? Carbide’s glow is barely visible unless the room is totally dark, but my scorplings glow very brightly regardless of the lighting.

Still sharp as far as I can tell though the last couple of feedings I don't think she used it.
Haven't done the blacklight thing in a long time I'll try it later.

 

[Moakmeister]

Still sharp as far as I can tell though the last couple of feedings I don't think she used it.
Haven't done the blacklight thing in a long time I'll try it later.

Have you gotten the chance to test it yet

 

[darkness975]

Have you gotten the chance to test it yet

I just did and she still shines as bright as ever. So aging doesn't affect the material in the exoskeleton that glows.

 

[Moakmeister]

I just did and she still shines as bright as ever. So aging doesn't affect the material in thr exoskeleton that glows.

Hmm, I wonder why Carbide is so dim

 

[darkness975]

Hmm, I wonder why Carbide is so dim

Is there a layer of something stuck to the exoskeleton ?

 

[Moakmeister]

Is there a layer of something stuck to the exoskeleton ?

What, like oil?

 

[darkness975]

What, like oil?

Can't say. All I know is my anecdotal findings from my own tests. My old girl still glows like the morning sun under black light.